Three Christmas options

Christmastime is renowned for cheer, parties, celebrations, spending time with loved ones... and also piling on the pounds.

One day of indulgence will not ruin your dieting efforts irreversibly and you deserve a reward once in a while- Johanna Calleja

If most of us want to be honest, not many (or any) Christmases go by without our clothes feeling a little bit (or a lot) tighter and without the scales marking a couple of extra kilos. Then January comes along and it’s time for New Year resolutions and those tight clothes and extra kilos inspire us to start a diet or start doing more exercise.

But what about those of us who have already been dieting and/or exercising before Christmas? Should Christmas be a time to throw away all the hard work we had put in before the festive season? Or should we be the only people at the party or family dinner, if not possibly the only people in Malta, who do not let go a bit and enjoy the festive food and stick to our nutrition plan religiously?

This dilemma leads to a few options and the choice should be influenced by what your weight loss goals are and how urgently you want (or need) to reach them.

An article entitled Thanksgiving And Christmas Food: How To Diet Through The Holiday Season (www.essortment.com/thanksgiving-christmas-food-diet-through-holiday-season-49065.html), suggests choosing from three options.

The first option – and probably the hardest – involves sticking to the diet plan at all costs.

This can be done by restricting yourself to the foods that match your diet plan precisely and avoiding things such as desserts, sauces and dressings, which add a lot of calories.

While this might sound like a hard option, it is not impossible and, although you might worry about what others think about your decision, they will definitely respect your willpower.

You can still join in the usual cheer with enthusiasm and have just as much of a good time – or better – as the person sitting next to you having his third slice of Christmas cake (and feeling nauseous and bloated for the rest of the day).

If you are going to a party where there will only be nibbles – which inevitably lead to us overeating – the best option would be to eat before going there and avoid the nibbles completely. Drinking a lot of water will help you to keep feeling full and instead of thinking too much about all the temptations try to remind yourself about your weight loss goals and how good you feel whenever your clothes feel looser or someone tells you how good you are looking.

The second option is all about moderation.

You can enjoy all the food but try to eat smaller portions than you would normally take on such occasions so that your total calorific intake does not go through the roof.

The third option is similar but more liberal, allowing you to enter the Christmas spirit and let go completely.

One day of indulgence will not ruin your dieting efforts irreversibly and you deserve a reward once in a while. You would not be the only person going off your diet plan and you can enjoy the food without feeling guilty.

Eat what you feel like, including dessert, and enjoy it without remorse but stop eating when you feel full or, better still, just before you feel too full.

The important thing is to keep in mind that this is a holiday and a reward not something that you can keep doing every day. In fact, you should be prepared to return to your diet plan the day after indulging. This is the key to a healthier you and to achieving your weight loss goals. We are all individuals and the three options suit us all differently. You could also choose option one on certain days, option two on others and option three just once or twice on very special occasions. It does depend on your own needs, goals, circumstances and attitudes and if you have been seeing a dietitian, nutritionist or other health professional, particularly if you have a medical condition, discussing it with them is important.

Whatever you choose, try to make sure you still find time for exercise/training throughout the festive season. It can help you enjoy that serving of creamy mashed potatoes or that mince pie more by making you feel that you have worked hard to deserve it and will actually counteract some of those extra calories.

It will also help keep you on track towards your fitness goals, which is vital since “Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness” (Edward Stanley, December 20, 1873, Liverpool College address).

Choices to make

Avoid throwing away the hard work you have put in if you have been dieting and/or exercising before the Christmas period:

Strict option – Stick to the diet plan at all costs by restricting yourself to the foods that match your diet plan precisely. Requires substantial willpower but not impossible.

Moderate option – Eat everything but in smaller portions than you would normally take on such occasions.

Liberal option – Enter the Christmas spirit and let go completely (still stopping eating when you feel full) but be prepared to return to the diet plan the day after indulging. Option only to be chosen on one or two days and if it will not compromise your health, in which case one day of indulgence will not ruin your dieting efforts irreversibly.

It is important to discuss with your dietitian, nutritionist or other health professional, particularly if you have a medical condition.

You can choose different options on different days and, no matter what you choose, try to find time for exercise throughout the festive season.

johannacalleja@yahoo.com

The author has just completed an MSc in exercise and nutrition science.